Home Inspection Tips - How to Spot Water Damage

Home Inspection Tips: Things to Check for When Buying a New Home

Having your offer accepted on a dream home might be a reason for celebration. However, you aren’t done yet. It would be a good decision to have the home inspected since there could be numerous challenges hiding. It is more than peeling paint that will be apparent to see and quick to fix; but about issues like mold and water damages that could affect the property’s livability. Since home inspection can be demanding, here are things to check for when purchasing your new home.

Why Home Inspection?

Typically, an expert inspects the home and provides a comprehensive report on the house. The process aims to reveal any problem areas before purchasing the home.

It offers both the seller and buyer an opportunity to negotiate, make any fixes, or even walk away if necessary. In other words, it protects you and your hard-earned money from surprises.

How to Identify Prior Water Damage Before Buying a Home

Water damage is many homeowners’ nightmare since it can happen at any time and result in severe challenges if not addressed promptly. It could cause fungal growth in less than twenty-four hours, leaky pipes, cracks in your foundation, a flood, or sprinklers spewing water on your home.

Some of the signs of previous water damage include:

• Sagging ceiling — If not addressed, the ceiling might collapse. On top of mold growth in the ceiling, it could pose health threats for you.
• Warped floor files —If you see a soft spot in the flooring, it could mean there is much more water underneath the floor.
• Cracks in your home’s stucco — Water moisture in walls could enter the home’s foundation and cause issues like drywall swelling, wood rot, and mold.
• Soggy carpets
• Holes in the attic are an indication of a leaking roof.

Mold Inspection

Mold is a fungus that flourishes in a water-soaked material like ceiling tile, carpet, paint, wallboard, and paneling. As it grows, it releases spores that float in the air. Generally, the spores are harmless in small quantities. In a suitable environment, mold could spread further in a home, resulting in expensive repairs, damage, and health issues like severe fatigue, respiratory challenges, rashes, and seizures. 

Some of the common areas you are likely to find fungal growth include:

• Roof, windows, or around a leaking pipe
• Flooded areas that have not been thoroughly dried
• A tightly sealed building
• A poorly ventilated home

Watching out for visible fungal growth is one of the ways to detect mold. Even when you cannot find mold, you could identify a current issue with a musty smell. Be cautious if the home smells too good or different. The seller could be concealing something.

Don’t expect the seller to tell you if he/she had mold issues in the present or past. Instead, ask whether they have ever experienced flooding or even water damage. If they have, it could be an indication they possibly experienced the issue.

Do not hesitate to inquire from your inspector if they saw any signs of mold or possible mold danger and request that the outcome be included in your final inspection report.

How to Identify Electrical Challenges

According to a report released by the Electrical Safety Foundation International, about fifty-one thousand home fires occur due to electrical challenges. Therefore, it is advisable to hire a home inspector who will closely examine the overall electrical system defects and conditions. Some of the electrical issues that your inspector will identify are:

• Mismatched wires
• Over-fusing
• DIY wiring
• Fraying insulation
• Discoloration around the outlet point in the home
• Dimming or flickering lights
• Electrical panels less than 200amps

Plumbing Issues

As previously mentioned, water damage is your enemy, and a faulty plumbing system is a primary suspect for leaks. Most of the pipework is beneath the floorboards or within the walls hence hard to repair. The issue often goes unnoticed until it creates damage to the foundation, flooring, and walls. While the homeowner could fix these issues, it is a concern that you must negotiate with the seller. However, if all sinks, pipes, and toilets are not functioning correctly, it could be a deal-breaker.

Here are signs your dream home has plumbing challenging:

• Constantly leaking or dripping faucets
• Low water pressure
• Musty smell
• Unusually high-water pressure
• Rust
• Sediment build-up
• Proof of leaks

 

Your home inspection should identify issues that the house might have. Whether the reg flags are a deal-breaker for you primarily depends on the seriousness of the challenge and your experienced inspector’s report. Generally, the repair cost is high, which might require the seller to enter into negotiations with you or drop their asking price.

 for more information please visit: https://classictampabay.com/

Address: 305 Bear Ridge Cir #104, Palm Harbor, FL 34683

Hours: Open 24 hours

Phone: (727) 400-4720